Bipolar?

Jess3Loves

Not sure if this is the correct area to post this, but I am curious to see if there are any other people struggling with WEIGHT and BIPOLAR?

dawnkitchen

Yes.

Well, sort of. I have a psych appointment for official diagnosis, but my counselor has gone through two diagnostic sessions with me and we're sure that is my correct diagnosis (as opposed to major depression and general anxiety).

I'm really nervous about playing the medication game again and what it will do to my body/energy/weight.

Jess3Loves

Wow, just last week I could have written your exact post!

I have been suffering for a while now, but didn't want to face the music or the medicine game!

I finally got diagnosed Monday (last week) with Bipolar, severe depression, OCD, and anxiety. I am 3 medications right now...so far so good!

Let me know how your appointment goes.

Bipolar has been such a scary thing for me. I hate losing control of myself. I have suffered from depression many years now. I also used to have an addiction to cutting, but since I had my kids I do not cut.

I wish you luck and would love to keep in touch!

dawnkitchen

Oh, wow! That's recent! Definitely proud that you went and took the correct steps for you and your health! I'm so glad your meds are working well! I'm really nervous about it since I've been through a handful of depression meds (no wonder they don't work if it is the wrong diagnosis!).

I've definitely been struggling with depression for almost all of my life. I also have some disordered eating issues (binge eating, obsessive eating, etc etc).
I totally know what you mean about losing control. I sort of feel like the high cycle is like an out of body experience!

Let's definitely keep in touch. :]

Jess3Loves

Oh, wow! That's recent! Definitely proud that you went and took the correct steps for you and your health! I'm so glad your meds are working well! I'm really nervous about it since I've been through a handful of depression meds (no wonder they don't work if it is the wrong diagnosis!).

I've definitely been struggling with depression for almost all of my life. I also have some disordered eating issues (binge eating, obsessive eating, etc etc).
I totally know what you mean about losing control. I sort of feel like the high cycle is like an out of body experience!

Let's definitely keep in touch. :]

I was scared to death of the medicine game again, finding the right combo, side effects, etc. I have been on so many in the past for depression. Just make sure you express this to your doctor. I was worried about having a medicine that will make me gain weight, as I already have an obsessive eating problem. I was on Depakote years ago as a teenager and it made me put 40 pounds on in about 2 months! He gave me Lamictal for bipolar (which seems to be one of the most common meds to treat it, from doing research), Wellbutrin for depression (which I have had success with before and it might even help to lose weight) and Klonopin for anxiety (one that you take on the onset of anxiety).

karen4777

I have taken medication for Depression and OCD for years. With proper nutrition and exercise I have not had any problem losing weight. Although not easy, very possible

dawnkitchen

I am definitely going to make sure the psych knows about all those issues before choosing a medicine to try. I'm currently just on Paxil for the depression and to help with anxiety. I have Ativan for as needed high anxiety times. I wasn't put on Wellbutrin because of the chance of heightened anxiety. I was going through the medicine game during the last three years of my undergrad/graduate college time. Woooo. I gained 30 pounds in three months from the switch ups - and I'm not sure which medication it came from. Bluh.

I have done a little bit of research on bipolar meds, but I'm going to the psych on Feb 23, so I'll probably do some more research before then. So who knows how this is going to turn out!

Manda1987

I'm late to this conversation, but (as jessmom knows) I'm bipolar and have OCD as well.

There are some other things besides medication that can cause trouble with weight loss. The whole "up and down" thing can cause serious issues with binge eating and makes it really hard to get a good program going, depending on the time of your cycle. I'm rapid-cycle, which means that there are times when I'll start on a good day, then the next day wake up and have trouble peeling myself out of bed. Fortunately, my stabilizers have helped with this. I also find that when I'm on a high, I don't eat much or sleep (which lowers my metabolism) and then when I'm on a low, I overeat (which makes me gain weight because I haven't been eating).

With the OCD, there can be issues with maintaining a program. For instance, I'll start exercising every day. Then one day comes along where I can't for some reason, and all of a sudden my program is ruined and I give up because I can't handle things that aren't "perfect". Or if I go over on my calories, I obsess over it and can't get past it. It's something I'm working on.

dawnkitchen

Manda, you're whole post is something I could have written. I think that the high/low eating patters definitely had the same effect on me as it did with you. My counselor is having me track my cycles on a calendar and what effect is has on my eating. So we'll see how that turns out!

I have features of OCD personality disorder (not the commonly referred to OCD with many obsessions and compulsions and rituals, but the perfectionistic, stubborn, hyper organized type). I'm also rapid-cycle.

Thankfully, something clicked with weight loss and personal training where I'm not as hard on myself if I'm making progress. I have this ridiculous, vicious hatred for my body. I struggle so much with this when I'm in a down part of a cycle and I just want to eat. Somehow, I've been doing well at not giving in to that, but it is SO hard and SO tiring. Ya know?


I'm just hoping that when I see a psychiatrist at the end of the month that I can get my cycling under control. I am also working with my counselor to mediate and deal with the fluctuations. Such hard work.


Anyway - I hope everyone is coping as well as possible. :]

Jess3Loves

I'm late to this conversation, but (as jessmom knows) I'm bipolar and have OCD as well.

There are some other things besides medication that can cause trouble with weight loss. The whole "up and down" thing can cause serious issues with binge eating and makes it really hard to get a good program going, depending on the time of your cycle. I'm rapid-cycle, which means that there are times when I'll start on a good day, then the next day wake up and have trouble peeling myself out of bed. Fortunately, my stabilizers have helped with this. I also find that when I'm on a high, I don't eat much or sleep (which lowers my metabolism) and then when I'm on a low, I overeat (which makes me gain weight because I haven't been eating).

With the OCD, there can be issues with maintaining a program. For instance, I'll start exercising every day. Then one day comes along where I can't for some reason, and all of a sudden my program is ruined and I give up because I can't handle things that aren't "perfect". Or if I go over on my calories, I obsess over it and can't get past it. It's something I'm working on.

I agree that the mood shifts from bipolar can cause lots of eating issues. For example, today I am having a good, feel normal kind of day and I am eating right. When I am having a bad day, I just want candy, cuz why not? Food comforts me.

I think the 3 of us should stay in touch and be of support to each other!